1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an anchor assembly structured to be removably secured to a wall, floor or like supporting structure and designed to mount any one of a variety of objects thereon. The anchor assembly comprises a flexible material sleeve including an interior channel into which a connector is disposed, wherein the sleeve is inserted into a pre-formed opening in the supporting structure and is selectively oriented into and out of a compressed, radially expanded position, by rotation or other manipulation of the inserted connector. In the expanded position, the sleeve and the connector may be prevented, in one embodiment, from passing back through the pre-formed opening in the supporting structure until the connector is detached from the sleeve, thereby serving to orient the sleeve in a normal, non-expanded position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the mounting or support of any of a large variety of objects on a wall or similar supporting structure, it is common practice to use anchors, fasteners, plugs, etc. Some of these are structured to be secured on or within the wall, and thereafter, to be expanded in order to prevent or significantly reduce the possibility of the anchor or fastener becoming inadvertently dislodged. Typically, anchors or fasteners of this type are made from a metallic or rigid plastic material and generally include an internal bore or throat which runs axially parallel to the length of the body of the fastener. In addition, the bore or throat usually has a tapering internal configuration intended to be engaged by an inwardly projecting nail, screw, etc. When the nail or screw is inserted into the bore or throat, it is dimensioned and/or configured to normally engage one or more separable fingers or segments formed on the body of the anchor or fastener and to cause them to pivot or otherwise be disposed laterally outward from the remainder of the body. When forced outwardly, the laterally projecting segments are disposed beyond the transverse dimension of an opening, formed in the wall or like supporting structure to initially receive the body of the fastener, thereby preventing or at least significantly restricting the removal of the fastener.
Expandable fasteners or anchors of the type referred to above are used for certain limited applications, and therefore, are considered to be at least generally operable for their intended functions. However, these types of fasteners are recognized as having certain problems and disadvantages which restrict their use for a variety of applications. Such disadvantages include a general inability of the fastener to be easily removed for purposes of re-use and any attempts to remove the fastener from the pre-formed opening or aperture formed in the wall, usually results in the portion of the wall surface being permanently marred. Also, whether the fastener is removed or left in place, the corresponding wall surface remains in a somewhat damaged condition. In addition, the portion of the wall surface being engaged by such a conventional expansion-type fastener may not be easily repaired or covered, even if spackle, putty or other materials typically used to repair a wall surface are applied.
Another disadvantage associated with the known expandable anchors or fasteners is their inability to reliably support heavier objects, especially on a vertically oriented wall surface. In addition, the structure and design of these conventionally known fasteners make them less versatile in that they are generally usable only for their rather limited, intended applications, rather than being structured for installation in a plurality of different supporting structures, such as a wall, floor, ceiling, roof, etc. and regardless of whether the supporting structure is made of dry wall, wood or concrete. Also, conventional or known expansion fasteners are generally formed from a rigid plastic material or metallic material which lacks any observable elastic characteristics or capabilities. Therefore, the body of such known fasteners or anchors cannot be repeatedly oriented between an initial configuration, during the insertion of a fastener, and an somewhat expanded or enlarged configuration, nor subsequent to its insertion, and as such, the known devices do not allow for the continued reuse of the fastener in a variety of applications.
In addition to the above, known, expandable fasteners typically include the aforementioned central, axially disposed throat or bore incorporating longitudinal slits or elongated grooves, which allow for the aforementioned segments to expand outwardly along substantially a majority of the length of the body of the fastener. However, such a structural design results in a "cleaving" effect which does not allow stress, placed on the fastener or anchor, to be distributed uniformly throughout the area adjacent the opening or aperture through which the body of the fastener is initially inserted. Because of this type of design flaw, the holding forces provided by such known or conventional fastener structures is less than typically required for the mounting or support of a variety of heavier objects. Therefore, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to safely or effectively mount this type of conventional fastener in floors or ceilings, for purposes of anchoring heavier objects or anchoring load bearing components associated with the building itself.
Accordingly, there remains a need in this art for an anchoring assembly designed and structured to have sufficient versatility for use in a variety of different applications and which is particularly capable of being secured to a variety of different supporting structures such as, but not limited to, walls, floors, ceilings, etc. If any such improved anchoring assembly were developed, it should be capable of being used with not only a variety of supporting structures, but of supporting structures made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to dry wall, wood, and concrete. In addition, if any such improved anchor assembly were developed it should also be capable of mounting or attaching any one of a variety of objects of varying weights and/or sizes to the different supporting structures. In addition to the above, the structural features of any such improved anchor assembly should be such as to allow its removable, but secure and stable attachment to the wall, floor or like supporting structure, thereby allowing for repeated uses of the anchor assembly. In order to accomplish such continuous reuse, as well as better facilitate the insertion and/or removal of the anchor assembly from its supporting structure, the improved anchor assembly should ideally be selectively and easily disposed between a transversely expanded position or a substantially normal, non-expanded or linear position.